Strangers In A Stranger Land
by BlackShaftedArrow
Summary: Halt and Will suddenly find themselves in Bree, and they meet Strider and the hobbits. The two Rangers are brought to Rivendell where they join the Fellowship on their quest to save Middle-Earth. NO SLASH
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Lord of The Rings or Ranger's Apprentice; all rights to J.R.R. Tolkien and John Flanagan!**

The two figures, hooded and cloaked, seemed to blend in with the background of the Prancing Pony Inn. The dull green and gray mottled cloaks disrupted their shady figures, making them seem to flicker in and out of focus, and the deep cowls concealed their faces completely. The figure on the right, the one who seemed to be younger, had his left leg cocked over the arm of his chair and was slouching comfortably.

The figure on the left turned his head slightly to face the other and seemed to raise one eyebrow. "I really wish you wouldn't do that." The voice was low, but also teasing and gentle.

"Oh, come on, Halt. We've been riding all day. Can't we just relax for a while?" The voice coming from underneath the cowl was young and playful.

"And we don't know where we are." Halt inclined his head to the table at the opposite side of the room, the one nearest the fire, but also secluded in its own corner. A shady figure sat there, smoking peacefully on his pipe. The man in the corner also had his hood up, the cowl of his cloak hiding his face, but not completely. Suddenly the embers in his pipe flared and the light lit his eyes briefly, just long enough to see their steel gray color.

"This man…" His voice was low and close to inaudible. "Is a Ranger."

"But what is he doing here in Redmont?"

"Are we in Redmont?" Halt's question sounded as if he already knew the answer, so he didn't answer.

As the younger figure stood to approach the man, Halt's hand shot out and grasped the younger man's wrist. "Wait, Will."

Will followed his master's gaze to two small people, who appeared to be children, exchange a few quiet words with the innkeeper. Even though they were a good distance away from them, Halt picked up a few of the words.

"rangers…dangerous folk…name is, never heard…known as Strider."

That was enough to pique the ranger's interests and he carefully pushed Will gently back into his chair. It was nothing new for rangers to be considered dangerous, but the name Strider had not rung a bell inside of Halt's head, and he knew all the fifty rangers by name.

The dark-haired child who had asked the man repeated the name softly to himself. Though the child's back was facing Halt and Will, he could see a sudden change in the young person's attitude, and there was an abrupt evil discharge in the room. Then the dark-haired child, who he had heard been called 'Frodo', stood abruptly, an alarmed look on his face, and shoved through the crowd to where one of his companions was talking and drinking with a few of the men.

"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins! He's over there. Frodo Baggins! He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side, if you follow me." Another child, as it appeared to be, was speaking loudly, an accent that kind of sounded like a Scotti tingeing his voice.

"Pippin!" Frodo shouts just before tripping and flying back at least a foot and slamming down on his back.

Halt's eyes darted from who he believed was Strider, who was sitting up straighter now and transfixed by the scene, then back to Frodo, whose arm was extended in the air, one finger pointing upward. He barely caught a flash of gold as a shining ring slipped onto the child's finger and he disappeared from sight.

Strider practically jumped out of his seat, an alarmed look on his face, but stayed put for at least five more seconds until Frodo reappeared.

The atmosphere in the bar had changed drastically. Now people were gasping and murmuring about the sudden disappearance of the boy.

As soon as Frodo was visible again, Strider was out of his seat, and, in a few swift strides, had grabbed Frodo by the collar of his shirt and was dragging him up a nearby staircase.

"You draw far too much attention to yourself, Mister_ Underhill_." He hissed, a strange accent evident in his low voice.

Halt rose from the table and made his way across the room, followed by Will, who dodged the three companions of Frodo who were grabbing various objects and charging upstairs.

"Wait, you three." Will said before Halt could stop him. "Do you really think you'll be able to rescue your friend with those?" He gestured at the objects they were holding. They lowered their stools and candlesticks and looked quizzically at him.

"And who are you, might I ask?" One of them said. The boy looked almost identical to Pippin, except for a few minor differences.

"Hush, Merry. Don't talk to them. These men could be dangerous." Pippin said, elbowing Merry gently in the ribs.

"If you are dealing with a ranger," Halt said, casting a glance around the room, "you will need more than a few candlesticks to rescue your friend."

"And I'm guessing you're wanting to help?" The third, blond-haired boy asked skeptically.

Will opened his mouth to speak, but Halt cut him off. "Exactly." He glanced meaningfully down at the enormous longbow in his left hand.

"Do we have a choice?"

"We won't hurt you or your friend, trust me." Halt was very interested in what was going on, and he wanted to know more, whether these children wanted him to or not. Whatever it was they were doing seemed like it was a secret, and they would guard it with their lives.

"Oh, all right. But I don't want any trouble from you." The blond one said warningly, raising the stool he was carrying menacingly.

A ghost of a smile touched the ranger's lips. "Fair enough."

**Well, I hope everyone liked it! And remember, be ugly honest with me, but just no flames, please. Thank you! And remember, reviews are GREATLY appreciated! It doesn't even take that long! And please let me know if I got their characters right, I really want to hear what you guys have to say.**

**Arrow :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or Lord of the Rings; all rights to John Flanagan and J.R.R. Tolkien.**

**WARNING: The paragraph I bolded is a slight spoiler for book 8. That is the only warning for this chapter. Oh, and the rest of the chapter has no spoilers, only the bolded part.**

**Okay, one more thing. Some of this is book and movie versions, so just kinda bear with me, okay? Thankee!**

The two Rangers led the way up the winding staircase and paused right before stepping into the short hallway adjoining it.

Will's keen eyes barely caught the corner of Strider's cloak disappearing inside a doorway. Then the door closed softly. Halt and Will crept down the hallway until they stood right in front of the door. Both Rangers had arrows knocked to their bows, and, in one fell swoop, Halt twisted the knob and shoved the door open with his shoulder before jumping out of the way.

The apprentice heard the slithering sound of steel on leather and he immediately knew the man was a swordsman. Strange. He thought. Rangers only use bows. Well, except for Gilan, of course.

Will's thoughts went to Halt's former apprentice, who was an expert swordsman and archer. Before being trained as a ranger, Gilan had already had several years of practice with a sword, and the corps commandant as well as Halt both knew it would be a shame to waste the talent he already possessed. So they had let him continue in his training with a sword, as well as his ranger training.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Halt stepped through the doorway, at the same time bringing his bow back to half draw.

But Halt's attention was almost immediately lost when he caught a glimpse of the room before him. **The dark wood of the ceiling and the roughly polished pine floors reminded him, strangely, of his room back in Dun Kilty. Though the furniture was more rustic and definitely not as royal as it had been in his own bedroom, he vaguely felt as if he had already been in this place before. ****_Strange._**** He thought. He remembered little about his past, and very rarely did it decide to resurface inside his head.** But he shook the thoughts from his mind as the swordsman before him lowered his blade, a grimace on his face that seemed to say he should have expected this.

Out of the corner of his eye, Halt saw Frodo standing there, looking more terrified than ever.

Strider seemed to be on edge but yet still calm and in control of the situation, despite the massive longbow with the sharp broadhead aimed at his heart.

"Release him." That was all Halt's lowered voice said, and it showed the taller Ranger with the sword that the man was all business.

Will stepped aside quietly, knowing Halt had the situation in control, and let the three children shove past him and rush over to their friend, where they began to chatter nervously.

"Thieves and brigands. I should have known." Strider's voice had an accent Will did not recognize, but it was not thick enough to not be able to clearly discern the man's words. His voice was quiet and soft, with a hint of annoyment in it. _Actually_, Will thought to himself, _it sounded rather patient._

"Thieves?" He answered spitefully. "You are the one kidnapping a helpless child."

Apparently, Halt thought, he has not noticed the hidden enormity of the situation. He unobtrusively hammered his foot down on Will's, trying to get him to shut up. He would have elbowed his apprentice square in the ribs, but the heavy longbow in his hands hindered him from the action.

"Children?" The blond-haired child exclaimed, forgetting about the danger he and his friends were in for the time being. "I would have you know that we are full-grown hobbits, ranger." He said it indignantly, and Will decided not to question him as to what hobbits were. He assumed they were some sort of miniature person, judging by the looks of them.

Will inclined his head in apology before turning back to Strider, who was still staring at them expectantly.

"Sam!" Frodo hissed before whispering a few quiet words into the other's ear. Sam nodded and both of them turned to watch the scene unfold before them.

"You four, get out of here." Halt ordered, his eyes not leaving the taller man before him.  
As the four hobbits made their way towards the door nervously, Strider seemed to tense apprehensively, not wanting them to leave.

"Frodo, wait."

The hobbit froze, turning around to gaze at Strider. "How do you know my name?" He asked curiously, almost afraid to hear the answer.

But, instead of answering, Strider only reached inside his jerkin and produced a crisp white envelope. He extended it out in Frodo's direction.

"From Gandalf," was all he said.

Frodo took a hesitant step forward, slowly reaching out to retrieve it, wondering what this could all be about.

Halt pulled the draw slightly farther back on his bow, anticipating the violence he was sure was about to ensue.

Time seemed to fly in slow motion as the hobbit carefully took the letter from Strider and broke the seal. He slid a piece of fine white parchment from the envelope and looked up at the three men before him before quickly scanning the words on the page.

The gray-bearded ranger pulled his bow back to full draw, expecting some kind of treachery on the other man's part. He just began to realize how long he'd been holding the draw like this, and he felt his muscles begin to tremble.

"It's from Gandalf." Frodo murmured, letting his three companions read over his shoulder as he continued to gaze at the paper.

Halt let the tension in his bow relax a little, sensing that this…Gandalf…was a person to trust.

After a few minutes, the four hobbits looked back up to stare suspiciously at Strider. "How do we know you're the one Gandalf is talking about here?"

But, before Strider could answer the question, a shrill scream pierced the night air. Frodo's eyes went wide, and the unidentified ranger's head shot up to attention, immediately on the alert. He spoke urgently. "You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming."

**Okay, sorry. That was a really short chapter. But anyways, I know that this part was a whole hodge-podge of book and movie stuff, but that's probably how its gonna be, 'cause I really like the book version and the movie version. I'll probably just use whichever one works best for the scene. Anyways, thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW! :D**

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_**horseyyay: Oh, thanks for pointing that out! And I'm glad you're reading the RA books. Oh, and thanks for sending those two to me. I really appreciate that. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Ranger Turien: Oh, good. I was hoping I kept the characters in-character. Ugh. That was a little redundant there. Oh well. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Smirkwood Elf: Oh, thank you! Good, that makes two people who say I got the characters right. Thanks so much! Humph. And you shouldn't be on book three. You should be halfway finished with them all by now. Or completely finished. Anyways, you've started The Icebound Land, right? Good. :P :) Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

**THANK YOU ALL!**

_**Arrow :D**_


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own The Lord of the Rings or Ranger's Apprentice; all rights to J.R.R. Tolkien and John Flanagan! (In respective order)**

Will watched in horrified curiosity as the four Nazgul hammered through the street, only to rein in their horses to a skidding stop right in front of the Prancing Pony Inn. They dismounted and shoved open the door, their swords drawn in front of their bodies and their other hand stretched out before them, as if warding off any possible attackers.

After Strider had warned Frodo that he could no longer wait for Gandalf, they had moved across the street to the inn opposite the Prancing Pony, avoiding the path the Nazgul would take to reach them. Will and Halt had learned that they could, indeed, trust this man. They had traded information with the other Ranger, and they had come to the conclusion that they weren't in Araluen anymore. In fact, they had no idea where they were. Will believed they had somehow been transported to another world.

They had learned about the four hobbits' journey and how Gandalf, the Wizard, had not shown up as he was supposed to earlier that night. And they learned about the Ring of Power, the same ring Halt had seen just previously that night.

After several more minutes of silence, a terrible, piercing screech filled the air, and the Nazgul were once again throwing open the front door and mounting their horses. Will winced slightly at the shrill sound and glanced at Strider, who was sitting beside him, staring solemnly out the window. Strider remained impassive, completely ignoring the screams, while Halt seemed to hear them, but looked to the other ranger in a silent question. Though they now knew what the Ring of Power was, they still had not discovered who, or what, these creatures were.

Will turned slightly as he heard a small rustling noise coming from the four hobbits' beds and saw Frodo sit up, his eyes wide. The other three Halflings were already awake, sitting up in their beds and exchanging nervous glances with each other.

"What are they?" Frodo asked anxiously, his gaze locked on the still form of Strider.

The ranger turned his steely gray eyes on the hobbit, setting his jaw unobtrusively and tilting his head up fractionally. "They were once men. Great Kings of Men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine rings of power."

Will leaned forward, his brown eyes intent on the mysterious ranger seated across from him.

"Blinded by their greed, they took them without question," He continued. "one by one falling into darkness." He turned his eyes back out the window, watching the Nazgul pounding away into the night with shrieks and cries of anger. A look of sorrow crossed his face. "Now they are slaves to his will." His voice was hushed, as if speaking of the past would somehow make it worse. He looked now at Halt and Will, his voice becoming slightly more powerful. "They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths. Neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One." He shifted in his chair, acceptance of the situation in his eyes, as they once again found Frodo. "They will never stop hunting you."

-

Will hurriedly strung his bow before following his mentor out the door. Will glanced ahead and saw Strider hefting his pack over his shoulder, the reins of a small pony in his other hand.

The beast looked more dead than alive, but he didn't complain under the weight of their luggage. Will immediately felt compassion for the animal, and he knew Halt probably did, too. All Rangers loved their horses, and seeing one in such poor condition struck a chord in the young man's heart.

The group had just left the Prancing Pony Inn, with the well wishes of Butterbur, the innkeeper. Will had no idea where Strider was leading them, though he knew his master probably knew where they were going.

As the three Rangers and four hobbits walked along the path that would lead them to the woods surrounding the town of Bree, Will could sense several pairs of eyes watching them intently.

Suddenly, a head poked up from behind a hedge surrounding a rather dilapidated house, and the face sneered. "Well, Longshanks. Finally found some friends, have you?"

Strider said nothing.

"I would watch it with him," he jerked his head towards Strider and directed his gaze towards the hobbits, "He's a sneaky one, he is."

Suddenly, Halt's quick eyes caught a bright red flash, then a sudden yelp of surprise from the figure behind the hedge. The head ducked back behind the bushes, cursing and muttering.

"Waste of a good apple." Sam muttered.

-

"Where are you taking us?" Sam finally asked the question that was on all of their minds.

Strider placed his hand on a tree trunk gingerly, scanning the area. "Into the wild."

"Not much of an answer." Will mumbled to himself, though he already knew where they were headed. Halt just gave him a reproachful look. Will shrugged innocently, having had enough of people dancing around questions when they're asked.

"How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" Will heard Merry talking quietly to his fellow hobbits. The four of them had fallen slightly behind, while the three men had stayed several paces ahead. While Merry tried to keep his voice low, Will knew Strider heard every word.

Frodo replied. "I think a servant of the enemy would feel fairer, but look fouler." Will slowed a few paces, trying to catch the hobbits' quiet words. He had a feeling this conversation was about to go somewhere he didn't want to miss.

"He's foul enough." Merry muttered. A grin broke out on Will's face, and he looked up at Strider to catch his reaction. The man raised both eyebrows, sighing a little as a rueful expression decorated his lips. The ghost of a smile just touched Halt's face as he saw his fellow ranger's movement.

"We have no choice but to trust him." Frodo continued. Will stole a glance behind himself, realized the hobbits had had no idea Strider was overhearing this whole conversation, and turned to face forward again. This time, Strider inclined his head, as if he at least had something going for him. Will smiled again.  
"But what about those other two men? The rangers?" Pippin asked curiously.

"I don't know about them, either." Frodo answered. "The older one, Halt…he seems rather strange. I think we should keep an eye on him."

Will almost broke into laughter as he saw the expression on his mentor's face. Halt looked over at his apprentice, saw him laughing silently at him, and glared. The younger ranger left the smile on his face, knowing that Halt couldn't do anything to him so long as he kept Strider between him and Halt.

"But what about Will? Do you think we can trust him?" There was Sam's voice.

"I think so. He seems kind enough." Merry said.

Will stuck his tongue out at Halt. His mentor still didn't smile; not that Will had expected him to. Strider also glanced over at Will, as if judging for himself if the young man were trustworthy. When the ranger's eyes narrowed, then looked away, Will guessed it was just his natural charm and youthfulness that led people to trust him.

"But where are they leading us?" Sam asked, exasperation in his voice.

This time, Strider answered, his voice cracking through the silence and taking a few of the hobbits by surprise. "To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the House of Elrond."

His reply was met by excited chatter from the halflings, especially Samwise. "D'you hear that? Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!"

** Okay, sorry it took so long for me to update. I've been really busy and lately my original story's been sucking me in and I find it incredibly hard to get back out, and I honestly had no idea it's been over two months since I've updated. If this happens again, please just PM me and bug me about it until I update. Thanks and I hope you guys enjoyed the chappie! :D**

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_**Ranger Turien: I'm glad you like it! And yeah, I've been wondering about that myself. I mean, on a couple occasions I recall Halt wanting to bang Horace's head into a tree, and I'm sure he's wanted to do the same to Will several times. :P Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**KaribookWorm: Thanks for the encouragement! Yeah, Aragorn's my favorite from LoTR and Halt and Will are my favorite from RA and I've been REALLY into both lately so…why not try a crossover? Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Sparky's Girl: Awww! Thanks for the compliment! :D I'm still waiting for the next chappie of Assassins in Araluen and Run Away. HINT HINT. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Arrow :D**_


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Lord of the Rings or Ranger's Apprentice; all rights to J.R.R. Tolkien and John Flanagan!

They had not been walking for three hours after they'd had breakfast when suddenly all four hobbits stopped. While Frodo gathered the pots and pans from their places behind Bill's saddle, Pippin and Merry began to scout around for brush. Strider, sensing something happening behind him, turned, an almost amused expression on his face.

"Gentlemen," he said firmly, a little hint of curiosity in his tone. "We do not stop till nightfall."

Pippin straightened from his bent position by a pile of brush and asked, "What about breakfast?"

Strider's gray eyes flickered to the left and landed on Halt, then they darted back to the hobbits again. "You've already had it."

"We've had one, yes. But what about second breakfast?"

Understanding seemed to dawn on the ranger and he turned and continued to trek through the thick grass. Will smiled, remembering what Strider had told him about hobbits and their appetites.

Having some pity on them, he made sure Halt and Strider had continued on before plucking an apple off a nearby tree. He tossed one to Merry, then after a slight pause threw one to Pippin.

He heard a _thunk!_ and snickered quietly, guessing one of them had missed the catch.

"Pippin!" He heard Merry's agitated voice and assumed it had probably been Pippin that'd missed. Halt looked over his shoulder and caught sight of the conspiratorial look in his apprentice's eyes.

"Will?" He asked, a warning note in his voice.

"Yes, Halt?" Will looked like the charming boy he was once again.

_Funny_, Halt thought. _How when you say someone's name they lose that half-crazed look in their eyes._

~ ~ ~

Later that night, after having crossed through the rather revolting Midgewater Marshes, the group was settling down for the night. Strider had offered to take first watch, so Will and Halt spread out their bedrolls and pulled their cloaks up over their shoulders.

Will lay awake, knowing that Halt had fallen asleep by the soft snoring coming from his right. The four hobbits had fallen asleep almost as soon as they had lain down, and now he was the only one up.

Except for Strider, of course. Will didn't know what to think about him. There was something he was hiding from them. Something he wouldn't tell them about. The young ranger stared at the shadowy form of the older ranger sitting a ways off. His back was turned towards him, and Will could see the little wisps of smoke coming from his pipe.

He shifted his position, trying to avoid the annoying little rock jabbing into his backside. Suddenly, a soft voice, almost a whisper, reached Will's ears.

_"Tinúviel elvanui,_  
_Elleth alfirin ethelhael_  
_O hon ring finnil fuinui,"_

Will realized it was Strider singing. His quiet voice carried on the gentle breeze, and Will was surprised at how good the other ranger sounded.

"A renc gelebrin thiliol." Strider finished his almost mournful-sounding song with a final, quiet note.  
A question was on the tip of the younger ranger's tongue, but he wasn't sure if he should ask it or not. He wasn't sure if it would sound stupid or not, but, as there was a momentary lull in the nighttime sounds, Will decided to wing it.

"Who is she?" His soft voice seemed to strike through the night and wake the animals, and an owl suddenly hooted, as if warning him to lower his voice. Will wasn't sure if the song was about a girl, but the name Tinúviel sounded feminine, so he decided it was as good a question as any.  
Strider started, almost imperceptibly. He quickly regained his wits once again and answered Will's question.

"Tinúviel was an elf maiden. She gave her love to a mortal man." His voice was quiet, possessing a sudden depth of sadness.

"What happened to her?" Will propped himself up on one elbow, almost afraid he would miss the ranger's reply.

Strider shook his head sadly, then gave a gentle sigh. "She died."

Will, unsure of what to say, remained quiet. But Strider didn't let the awkward silence drag on for long. His voice was kind, but also held a certain amount of finality to it, and Will didn't question it at all.  
"You should get some sleep, Will. You have next watch."

Will nodded, then settled back down underneath his cloak. Why did this strange man seem so sad about it? He remembered what Stride had told him about the immortality of elves, and how, if they gave it up, they would have a mortal life. Maybe this Tinúviel was a friend of his?  
Will shrugged mentally. He would find out in due time.

~~~  
When morning dawned, Will felt as if he'd had a fine night's sleep. Strider had woken him for his watch right on time, then will had handed it over to Halt after his hours were over. Now he woke with the rising sun, just as he was trained to, and felt immensely refreshed.

As he packed up his bedroll, he once again wished for Tug. He and Halt had been riding through the woods, right inside the borders of Redmont, when all of a sudden there had been a brilliant flash of light. They were both suddenly on foot, with Abelard and Tug nowhere to be found. They searched for their horses, of course, but after a while they'd decided something strange was going on. So they continued their journey. The scenery seemed to be the same as they continued, but, after a while, things began to change. That is when the rain started and they decided to take refuge in the Prancing Pony Inn. And then they met the hobbits and Strider, and here they were now.

Strider took the lead once again, leading them through various terrain until nightfall.

Silver stars speckled the sky around the moon, reminding Strider of little pieces of Mithril. The sky was growing dark, except for the area around the moon, which was lit up with a soft glow of light.  
They reached Weathertop just as the last rays of sunlight disappeared, streaking across the sky in brilliant displays of light.

Will smiled as he saw the beautiful colors, which reminded him of his home back at Redmont. He suddenly felt a deep longing to be there once again. But he shook off the thoughts as Strider's voice broke the silence.

"This was the great watch tower of Amon Sul." He turned around to face his companions. "We shall rest here for the night."

Halt nodded agreement before starting forward, adjusting his quiver across his shoulder in the process. Will trotted after his mentor, gazing up at the ruins of a temple atop the hill.

"Strider?" The apprentice's soft voice broke through the silence.

The older ranger raised an eyebrow, looking his way only momentarily.

"Can I ask you something?"

Halt's mutter barely reached Will's ears. "Seems you already have." Will turned to glare at his mentor before continuing.

"What's this place called?" His brown eyes flickered from the hill to Strider, then back again.

"Weathertop, Will. It's called Weathertop."

"Why's that?"

Strider stopped, a frown creasing his face. "What do you mean?"

Will halted as well, looking up at the taller ranger. Actually, Will thought, he was more than tall. He grinned at the thought.

"I meant, why is it called Weathertop?"

Strider remained silent a moment before replying. "Because it is the tallest of the Weather Hills."  
Halt cast a surreptitious glance towards Strider, wondering if he was picking on his apprentice. But when the other ranger remained completely deadpan, he began to think he was telling the truth. Halt shrugged. Didn't matter. And if he was picking on Will…good for him.

They made their way to the top, where Strider gave the hobbits each a sword. Will smiled, remembering the hard time he and Strider had had trying to find ones small enough for the hobbits.

"Take these." He said. "Stay hidden. I will return shortly." He stood, ready to leave.

"I'm coming with you." Halt said, shouldering his quiver. Strider glanced at him, hesitating. Then he nodded in acquiescence.

"Wait!" Will called before they could go. "Where are you going?"

Halt raised an eyebrow, as if Will should know this already. "We're going to scout the area." The ranger said, meeting his gaze. The apprentice could tell by the gleam in his mentor's eyes he wanted to speak with him privately, so he stepped off to the side. Halt put a hand on his shoulder, speaking in low tones.

"Keep them safe, Will. I'm going to try to get this Strider to tell me a bit more about this quest, and I want you to do the same with the hobbits." He scowled. "Though I doubt they know much more than we do."

Will nodded, starting to pull away.

"Wait." He murmured. The apprentice stopped. "Keep hidden." He looked around, almost nervously. "We are in unfamiliar territory, here. I don't want you getting hurt."

Will protested. "Halt, I can fend for myself—"

"Listen to me, Will. I know you can fend for yourself, and I know you'll want to fight those things when they find you. But whatever happens, do not engage them. Do you understand me?" His voice was firm, and the apprentice knew his master knew what he was talking about. Something wasn't right about this place, and the last thing Halt needed was a dying apprentice.

But that wasn't the only thing Will gleaned from his words. As Halt turned away and the two disappeared down the hill, he smiled thinly. Was that genuine concern he had detected in his mentor's voice?

**Okay, not all of those quotes were the same ones from the movie. Some of them I just kinda summarized in my own words. :P Anyways, sorry for the late update, guys.**

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_**horseyyay: Glad you like it :D And I'm really enjoying the Return, btw. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Karibookworm: Phew! *swipes hand across forehead* I was trying to achieve that silent type of humor between them. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Guest: Glad you like it. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Medilia: Well, I'm glad you decided to stop by! :) I hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Greenleaf: Oh yay! Aren't they awesome? Yeah, poor Will. :( But Halt will help him! :) Oh yeah, Halt is my favorite character, though Horace and Will come close second. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Eruanne Aredhel: Oh, well I'm glad you decided to stop by! :D I like your avi. Did you draw it? Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**gokuchiefkarkat: Yeah, I saw this section sadly lacking (not in story quality, more in number of stories) and decided the category needed another. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Nimrodel626: Oh, thank you! :D Glad you liked it. I like your sign-off thing, too. About the Valar guiding my pen. That's cool. I hope the Valar guides yours as well! Same title, huh? Oops. Sorry. :P Well, you know what they say: Great minds think alike! :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**silent song of shadows: Yeah, hehehe. So am I. I honestly haven't figured out that far ahead yet. :P Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Arrow :D**_


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Lord of the Rings or Ranger's Apprentice; all rights to J.R.R. Tolkien and John Flanagan!**

Halt followed Strider down the steep slope of Weathertop, navigating around the rocks jutting out of the dried grass.

Halt couldn't help but feel concern for his apprentice. They were in a strange place, battling strange creatures, with strange people. He remembered when he and Will had come across a traveler being attacked by wargals a while back. Halt couldn't brush the image of his apprentice's frozen form and the look of terror on his face out of his mind. He heard the sounds of the young boy's missing shots snapping off into the air. That moment still scared him. The moment when he thought he was going to lose his apprentice. Thankfully, though, he was ready for it. As a mentor, you had to be ready for anything. He just hoped Will wouldn't let himself freeze again.

Because he knew, for a fact, that the Nazgûl would make it to Weathertop tonight. He just hoped they would be back in time to aid his apprentice in the struggle against them.

The two rangers, Halt with his massive longbow in his left hand and Strider with one hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword, moved out of sight of the ruined watchtower.

They trekked through the terrain for at least fifteen minutes before Halt picked up a sign. "Look." He said, his voice low. Strider caught the sound and stopped, doubling back a few paces so he would be right beside his companion. Halt kneeled down, running his fingers over a sharp indent in the ground.  
Strider nodded. "Someone has been here." He looked up, his silver eyes gazing over the land ahead of them. He thought he could detect another sign a little further along. He glanced back down at Halt, who was now looking around, searching for another sign.

But just as Strider was about to point out there was one farther along, Halt murmured, "There you are."  
The other ranger joined him, and it was easy for Strider to figure out what his unspoken find had been. The one he had seen had obviously been one created as the person traveled this way, and now there were two more tracks marking his passage. He frowned.

"The tracks go this way." Strider went down on his hands and knees, trying to follow the faint tracks. Halt moved on a little further ahead, his eyes also searching the grass for another clue.

"Here." Strider said. He looked to the right, the direction the footprint was pointing. It was as if whoever had made these tracks had taken a sharp right before moving across the plain once again. The two got to their feet, both of them sensing something was wrong with this picture. They walked at a brisk pace, never tearing their eyes from the grass.

Finally, Halt found the next clue. "And another." He said, pointing. Strider nodded, and they continued on at a faster pace. Anxiety was beginning to grow in Halt's heart, something that didn't happen very often. They were on to something. Something big. Something bad.

A sudden shard of concern for his apprentice once again pierced his heart, but he pushed it away, trying to focus on picking up another track. Strider had gone on several yards ahead of him, and now he called back.

"There are more up ahead!" He increased his pace to a jog, still scanning the ground. Halt raced to catch up with him.

Strider stopped abruptly.

When Halt caught up with him, his heart began to thud even faster in his chest.

The two trackers were staring down at a circle of footprints. A _perfect_ circle. It was as if several people had stood in a circle, all facing each inwards. Strider gingerly stepped around them, not wanting to disturb any. One pair of prints led away from the circle, each in a different direction, but all going one way. Straight ahead.

Miserably, Halt let his gaze travel upwards, afraid of what he'd see.

And there stood Weathertop, looking serene in the cool evening air. The ranger just now realized how late it was getting. The sun had already set and the gathering darkness seemed only to heighten his fears.

Then he heard it. Both rangers stiffened, and Strider's hand gripped the hilt of his sword until his knuckles went white.

A piercing, screaming wail rent the night air.

Halt's heart stopped.

The Nazgûl had arrived.

~~~

Will snapped awake. Smoke. Why did he smell smoke? He jolted upright before springing to his feet, whirling around with his saxe drawn, trying to find the source of the smell.

Then he saw it. Three hobbits around a brightly blazing campfire, all roasting various food items. Will cursed at them, dashing forward and trying to put out the flames. Normally, he wouldn't use such language with them, but he couldn't help it. He'd specifically told them no campfires.

_ I shouldn't have let myself doze off,_ he thought. He thought it would be okay to catch a few minutes' rest, but apparently it hadn't been. He wondered why Frodo hadn't done anything to stop them, seeing as he was usually one of the brightest ones. Then he realized the little hobbit was still sleeping.  
"Hey! What are you doing that for?" Pippin shouted, jumping to his feet. Will glanced at him distractedly before turning back to stomping out the now smoldering embers.

"I told you no fires!" Will yelled angrily. He knew it was pointless trying to keep their voices low, now. The smoke from their fire had probably already been spotted. Grabbing his bow and shouldering his quiver of arrows, he ran to the edge of the hill, where he searched the ground below them desperately.

"Gorlog save us." Rarely did he invoke the name of Halt's new favorite Skandian god, but now was an exception.

Five Nazgûl were approaching their camp, spread out so they would cover the whole north side. Their wicked-looking swords were held in front of their bodies in a defensive posture, and Will immediately knew he was no match for them. He suddenly remembered Halt's words.

_ I know you can fend for yourself, and I know you'll want to fight those things when they find you. But whatever happens, do not engage them._

Will's heart began to pound faster in his chest, knowing he would probably end up disobeying his mentor.

_ I don't want you getting hurt._

For a split second, the young man was frozen to the spot, staring down at the dreadful creatures.

_ I don't want you getting hurt._

Then Frodo's voice snapped him back. "You fools! He said not to light a fire—!"

Will cut him short. "Yell at them later, Frodo. We need to get out of here." He took one last look at the fast-approaching Nazgûl before herding the hobbits farther up the hill. "Now."

Before he disappeared up the slope, though, he caught sight of the smoking fire. He hesitated, then grabbed a red-hot stick from it and ran to catch up with the hobbits. Will knew fire could be a handy weapon. He spoke from experience.

The four halflings grouped together, each of them facing a side. Will stood in front of them, arrow on his bow. He had passed the smoldering wood to Sam and told him to make sure the flame didn't go out. He heard the hobbit behind him occasionally breathing on it, trying to heighten the little orange flicker of light.

He stood there, waiting, heart hammering, arms shaking almost invisibly. He'd never faced an enemy like this before.

He waited…

…and waited…

There! A flicker of movement dead ahead of him. His aching arm muscles desperately wanted to rest, but the apprentice's hard training would never allow that.

The Nazgûl topped the rise. It was now or never.

Will let his arrow fly.

**Dun dun dunnnn! Evil cliffie! Mwuahahahaha!**

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_**Karibook Worm: Hehehe…and you thought the LAST chappie was a cliffie…:P Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_

_**Horseyyay: Well I'm glad I got their characters right. :D Hehehe...more Weathertop incident coming up next! :D Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_

_**Nimrodel 626: Aww, thank you! :) Sorry, I should have clarified that. Well you know how book 7 really is squished in between four and five? This takes place right after Skandia, but before Arrida. I hope that clears the confusion up. Sorry! :P Well I like your new one too. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_

_**Ranger Turien: Hehehe. I know how you feel. I've got a mountain of stories I've started but haven't gotten around to finishing. :P But don't worry! I'm DEFINITELY finishing this one. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_

_**Winterlover6: Glad you like it! :D Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_

_**Greenleaf: Hehehe…Will can't get hurt, eh? We'll just have to see about that…Mwuahahahahahaha! :D Well, I'm glad my good grammar is paying off. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**_

_**Arrow :D**_


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or Lord of the Rings; all rights to John Flanagan and J.R.R. Tolkien!**

**Okay, I started the Heroes of Olympus book House of Hades today, and I couldn't help but share Mr. Riordan's dedication page. I mean, I was cracking up laughing. Which is probably because this is exactly what I think when I write. :D**  
_**To my wonderful readers:**_  
_**Sorry about that last cliff-hanger.**_  
_**Well, no, not really. HAHAHAHA.**_  
_**But seriously, I love you guys.**_

The eerie scream filled the air. Will had already loosed three more arrows by the time he realized his first one had not even harmed the Nazgûl. And if it had, the thing didn't seem to notice. It only made it angrier.

Will was beginning to feel the creeping hopelessness he'd been sensing would come all night. The five Nazgûl approached them, forming a semicircle in front of Will. The hobbits stumbled backward, their little swords raised. Will knew they wouldn't do much good, especially since the halflings had never even held a sword before.

_Halt, where are you?_ He thought as he loosed another volley of arrows at the wraiths. They just screamed louder, and the apprentice resisted the urge to fall to the ground and cover his ears. They got closer, and the first one drove his sword at Will's chest. The apprentice hit the ground, rolling into a crouch with a knife in either hand. His bow lay on the ground beside him, but he knew he wouldn't need it.

As soon as the wicked blade was retracted again after hitting empty air, Will leaped to his feet, moving to cover the hobbits. With a grimace, he realized Merry and Pippin had been knocked to one side, and Sam was halfway across the hill, unconscious.

I'm already failing, he thought. Suddenly, Halt's voice entered his head.

If you tell yourself you're going to fail, you most likely will.

He felt a little better after remembering his mentor's advice, and he steeled his nerves and attacked the five Nazgûl surrounding him. He had to protect Frodo. No way was he going to let those things take the Ring.

He parried the wraith's next blow to his head, then stepped forward and darted in with his saxe. The Nazgûl blocked before he could make a successful hit, though, and Will got the feeling these things were even more deadly than Halt had assumed.

It was difficult to fight the ringwraith with just a pair of knives. Even though his saxe was a pretty heavy-duty knife, he knew it was pointless to attempt anything with it. He was stalling. Stalling for time until Halt and Strider returned. He was just thankful that the other four Nazgûl seemed to be content with watching the battle.

He was so caught up in his own thoughts and concentration, he didn't even realize the ugly pothole in the rock looming behind him. And, as the Nazgûl stepped forward to try another stab, Will stepped backwards to block.

His left foot met solid ground. His right foot didn't. Caught off guard, he desperately windmilled his arms, trying to regain his balance and still avoid the wraith's blade. The sword went right above his head, making Will's eyes cross as he tried to track its progress. Finally, though, he fell backwards and hit the rocky ground with a harsh _thump!_.

The wind was knocked from his lungs, and his saxe knife clattered to the ground, landing several feet away from him. He groaned, beginning to struggle back to his feet.

"Frodo! Get out of here!" He yelled at the hobbit behind him. Frodo, frozen in shock and fear, dropped his sword and ran to his friends, telling them to run. Will cursed his foolishness before turning back to the wraith. It stepped forward menacingly.

Will's nerves jumped in anxiety when two of the Nazgûl took a sudden interest in the hobbits. Oh, no. He thought. Please, think I've got the Ring, not them. They lost interest and turned back to Will, which made the apprentice heave a huge sigh of relief.

But that wasn't his only problem. The wraith looming above him was holding its sword aloft, ready to plunge it into the apprentice's heart. Will knew trying to use his throwing knife as a defense wouldn't do any good, but he held it up anyway, trying to get to his feet and out of the way. But his body wasn't working right. It was almost as if the Nazgûl had frozen him to the spot, not allowing him to move. Will, getting desperate, threw the knife at the creature just as he brought the sword down.

The apprentice heard his knife strike empty air and snapped his eyes shut. If he was going to die, he didn't want to die looking at that. And just as he heard the sword come whistling down on him, he heard an angry cry, then that horrible, squealing scream.

He looked up in surprise in time to see the Nazgûl's sword come falling towards him. He barely rolled out of the way in time, his left shoulder just missing the deadly weapon. He looked around frantically, wondering why the wraith was suddenly afire and running away.

Then he saw it.

Halt. Halt had come! He was holding a flaming torch in one hand and his saxe in the other. Strider was right beside him, leaping at the next wraith who dared to approach him.

"Halt!" Will cried in relief, scrambling to his feet and grabbing his saxe knife. He knew he wouldn't do much good in a fight without a torch of his own, so he ran over to the hobbits to make sure they were safe before he decided on his next course of action. The group of four had just made it to the edge of the hill and were beginning to climb down.

"Wait!" He called after them. "Are you guys all okay?" When they all nodded numbly, Will continued. "Good." Even though he knew fighting those things with just a knife was probably not a good idea, he couldn't just sit by and watch his mentor and friend fight for their lives. He dashed into the battle.

Halt's torch was knocked violently from his hand, sending him staggering backwards a few steps before regaining himself.

_Oh, no_, Will thought. He knew that now his mentor was fighting a losing battle. He ran over to the torch, which had flown several yards away from Halt and was now smoldering on the rocks. He grabbed it up, his eyes searching for his mentor. Now that it was dark and he didn't have a glowing beacon of fire anymore, it was actually extremely difficult to spot him. Then, Will caught a flash of movement to his left and whirled around in time to see Halt barely dodge a stab to his heart.

If he didn't do something soon, Halt would die. And Will couldn't let that happen.

As far as he knew, fire was the only thing that could scare those things off. Then he remembered his encounter with the Kalkara and drafted his idea. He set the torch back down, reaching for an arrow from his quiver. He stopped abruptly as he remembered his bow was still lying halfway across the hill, right in the midst of the battle.

Panicking, he sought desperately for an idea. Think, Will. Think! His eyes watched the torch intently, an idea beginning to grow in his mind. Then he looked down at his heavy saxe. _Will this work?_ He shrugged, plunging the blade of his knife into the torch, trying to get it to glow with heat. Even if it didn't work, at least he tried. And maybe he would distract the thing's attention from his mentor.

After four and a half seconds, Will pulled the knife from the smoldering fire and was slightly crestfallen to see it glowing red, but quickly fading. It'll have to do. He stood, knowing the knife he was about to throw was not really meant for throwing, took aim, and let the weapon fly.

His heart stopped as the blade struck the Nazgûl in the side of the face, causing it to reel backwards and whirl around to face Will. _Come on, come on._ He thought, hoping the creature would burst into flames just as the Kalkara had.

But, as the wraith became distracted from his mentor and went to meet the apprentice, Will knew he'd been wrong. No fire suddenly engulfed the thing. The knife was simply yanked from the wraith's head and thrown carelessly to the ground.

He frantically looked down, ready to pick up the torch, when he realized it had gone out. Will gulped. _Uh oh._ He grabbed the stick anyway, hoping maybe it would fend the Nazgûl off at least until Halt or Strider arrived.

The wraith stabbed at his chest, and Will knocked the blade aside with the torch. He didn't dare risk losing his only weapon, lest he be impaled on the wicked-looking sword his enemy was holding. He nervously deflected another blow, grimacing as his torch splintered. The Nazgûl hammered on his defense once again, and the torch cracked, the top flying halfway across Weathertop. Will tossed the bottom half aside. He saw Halt running towards him, but he knew he would never make it there in time. He was too far away.

This was it. Will couldn't back up any farther; his back was against a massive boulder. He ducked the next blow, almost immediately realizing it had been a feint. But he couldn't stop what happened next.

The ringwraith's blade lunged forward again, and the apprentice felt a searing, white-hot pain engulf his right shoulder. The blade was yanked violently from his body just as Will slumped against the rock behind him, pain coloring his vision red. He sank to his knees, watching as a fiery torch struck the Nazgûl in the back of the head and Strider and Halt come rushing to his aid. But it was too late.

Everything went dark.

**MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_**KaribookWorm: I know. :) A lot of people do. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Ranger Turien: Thank you! *bows* Though I am *clears throat* STILL waiting for your next update…Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Winterlover6: Well, I hope this chapter was as good as the last one! :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Arrow :D**_


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or Lord of the Rings; all rights to John Flanagan and J.R.R. Tolkien!**

When Will woke up, he realized he'd only been out for seconds. Apparently, all of his training was finally paying off. Fainting was not an option for a ranger. The young apprentice had barely made it to the ground before his instincts snapped back and he lurched to his feet again. He looked around wildly for the creature that had stabbed him and found Strider battling it fiercely. He realized there was only one Nazgûl left besides the one the ranger was fighting, and when he finished it off and chucked his torch straight into the face of the last wraith, Will sagged to his knees in relief. Halt was there before he could even reach the ground, and he helped his apprentice sit down.

Halt fell to his knees beside his apprentice, his face pale as he took in the deathly wound on the young man's shoulder. The apprentice opened his mouth to speak, but Halt shushed him.

"Don't try to talk. Save your strength." He murmured. Will received a strange vibe from his mentor, like maybe he was blaming himself for what had happened.

As Strider knelt beside him, Will bit back a cry of pain. He tried to keep his shoulder as still as possible, but all of a sudden he felt extremely cold and couldn't stop shivering. The older ranger turned around and spotted the hilt of the sword that had impaled Will, and he lifted it into his hands, studying it.

"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade." The strange hilt disintegrated in his hands, and Strider let it drop. "He needs elvish medicine."

Halt cast him a puzzled, wary glance before lifting his apprentice into his arms. This time, Will couldn't suppress the whimper that rose in his throat as his shoulder was jarred.

"Sorry, Will." Halt said quietly.

That made the injured apprentice feel a little better. His mentor always had everything under control; he was his rock in the crazy life of a ranger. He knew Halt would never drop him. Sometimes, Will compared his teacher to Tug, though he knew Halt wouldn't appreciate that comment. But you couldn't deny it, Will knew his mentor could carry him for days on end without dropping. But then again, after shooting an eighty-pound longbow for over ten years must have helped, too.

They trudged back down the hill, Strider and Halt keeping a sharp eye out for the ringwraiths.

Most of what happened after that was just a blurry haze in the apprentice's eyes. He tried to ignore the growing, icy pain in his shoulder and simply concentrate on his mentor's reassuring presence.

They stopped somewhere between two o'clock and three o'clock in the morning, and Halt lowered him to the ground. Will opened his eyes a crack and was a little startled to see three massive, stone trolls looming over him. He figured he must be hallucinating.

"Lie still." Halt told him before turning back to Strider.

_Halt P.O.V._

"Sam, do you know the Athelas plant?" Strider asked urgently.

The blond hobbit frowned. "Athelas?"

Strider seemed slightly agitated that the hobbit didn't understand, but he explained. "Kingsfoil."

Halt thought Sam looked confused, but he hoped the hobbit knew what the older ranger was talking about. "Kingsfoil," he nodded his head. "Th-that's a weed."

Strider nodded curtly. "It may help to slow the poison." He handed Sam one of his two torches. "Hurry!" Just as Strider moved away, Halt grabbed his shoulder.

"I want to help."

Strider shook his head, seeming to be annoyed and wanting to move. "You do not know what I speak of. Stay here and guard the hobbits."

But as the other ranger began to turn away again, Halt's grip on Strider's shoulder tightened. There was a steely light in his dark eyes, and Strider seemed to understand.

"It is like Sam has said. It is a weed. It has little white flowers and small leaves."

Halt nodded gratefully, and the two rangers disappeared into the woods to search for Athelas.

_Will P.O.V._

It seemed like his mentor had been gone just minutes before she arrived.

Strider returned, bringing a handful of what looked like a weed with him. Halt and Sam were right behind him, and the former rushed ahead to see his wounded apprentice.

"Will," Halt said firmly as his apprentice's eyes began to flutter closed. "Stay with me."

Will took a deep breath, opening his dark brown eyes again. "Who's she?" He slurred pathetically.  
A beautiful lady walked towards him. No—she_ floated_ towards him. A breeze that he couldn't locate rustled through her dark hair, swirling it around her face like she was underwater. Blinding white light cradled her like a halo, making her enchanting eyes seem even brighter. The flowing white sleeves on her dress shimmered behind her like a waterfall, and she knelt gracefully by his side.

Yep. Definitely hallucinating.

"Im Arwen." She said, her voice soft and breathy. The first word was foreign to Will, and he assumed she was speaking a different language.

Will let his head loll back again and his eyes closed. Darkness began to encroach his vision once again. But before it could completely take over, a strange light spread through the inky blackness and shooed it away. Will opened his dark eyes once again and realized the strange lady was still there.

Halt's eyes continuously shifted from the woman to his apprentice and back again, as if unsure of what to do. Wait. Halt unsure of what to do?

Maybe he was delirious, too.

The four hobbits were gaping at the lady, and he heard Sam say, "She's an elf."

A _what_?

_ That's it, _Will thought._ I'm going to die. I'm going to die somewhere away from Redmont, away from Tug, Alyss, and everything else I've loved._

He heaved a sigh, ready to give in to the pain and the blackness, when he suddenly felt a sharp sting on his shoulder. Now, this wasn't the same kind of pain that had been there ever since he got stabbed, this was a burning, biting pain that made his eyes snap open.

Halt put his hand on Will's good shoulder, steadying him. Will noticed some sort of herb coating his wound, which was probably the source of his sudden pain.

"We must get him to my father." The elf woman said, he dark hair falling over her shoulders. Strider moved to lift up the wounded boy, but Halt stepped in front of him just before he could. Will thought his mentor shot the other ranger a dirty glare.

Strider and the strange woman argued for several seconds beside a white horse, which Will assumed was how the lady had gotten there. Finally, though, she mounted up and, before Halt could protest, Strider took Will from his master's arms and placed him in the saddle in front of the elf lady.

Will heard a sharp remark from Halt, then another biting reply from Strider. He couldn't quite make out the words, though. It was obvious that his mentor wasn't happy about sending him away with a strange woman in an even stranger land when he was unarmed and injured.

"He must see my father." Will leaned back against the lady, dazed. She could feel her heartbeat against his back. "If we do not get him there in time, he will become a wraith, like them." Her voice was heated, as if she had done this before and didn't like what had happened in the end. Will hoped that wasn't the case.

There was silence for several seconds, and Will whimpered softly. That seemed to decide his mentor, as Halt leaned closer and spoke a few words in his ear. Then Strider smacked the horse on the rump and the white stallion jetted off into the forest.

Will could barely hear the hoof beats over the racing of his heart.

As the elf lady—should he could her Arwen? That is what she said hername was—galloped the horse through the darkness, the apprentice right in front of her, Will heard a sound he would never forget.

A piercing, wailing scream ripped through the still air.

They were coming.

**Dun dun dunn! Evil cliffie! Mwuahahaha! Okay, I don't normally like switches POV's, but I made an exception just because I wanted to capture both sides and Will wasn't really listening and I wanted some dialogue, so…yeah. Thanks to all my reviewers, I totally appreciate you guys. I mean, seriously. Without you awesome people, I wouldn't even be writing this anymore probably. :) So, did you guys like it? Was it too slow/rushed? Were Halt and Will's reactions to Arwen believable? I would have put Glorfy in there, but I decided on the girl this time. I mean, I love Glorfy and all but I thought it might work better with Arwen. Anyways, thank you all! :D**

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

_**Karibook Worm: Yes cliffie! Mwuahahaha! Hahaha yeah I thought that was ironic, too. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Nimrodel626: Oh, hehehe sorry. I actually didn't know you had a story like this. I just had the idea and was like 'Oh, that would be cool!' Don't worry, I wasn't planning on Frodo being the ringbearer. And you know what they say, "Great mind think alike!" :D Aw, thanks. :) I'm gonna get more into Halt's side of this later on. You can probably already tell there's a bit of tension between him and Aragorn. I finished it, and I totally cried at the end. I mean, I'm glad Leo's actually alive and all, but Riordan let his "death" drag on for like…four chapters before saying, "Oh yeah, he's actually alive!" :P I love those books. I just have The Last Olympian left in the PJO series. Not sure which ones I like better, though. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**horseyyay: Hahaha PO-TAY-TOES! :D I love that part. :P Haha I love the word fiend. Not sure why…:P What are you doing up at 6 AM? I mean, I get up at 5:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, but that's only two days of the week! Do you get up that early all the time? Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Greenleaf: Yeah, I didn't want Strider (as much as I love him) to totally take the spotlight. I mean, Halt's epic too, right? :D Yeah, I feel a little bad for Merry, Pippin &amp; Sam. I mean, they just wanted some food, but then again, they were being stupid. I don't know why, but that part where's Sam's like, "We saved some for you, Mr. Frodo," always drove me crazy. :P Weird, huh? Yeah, I read the next chapter. How can she kill Gwaihir!? Hmm…sorry, I've got a bad memory. I read the chappie a while ago. Who was Bereneth again? Not sure who was my favorite. I kinda liked them all…hmm…decisions, decisions…:P I'm actually my own beta *blushes* I'm a total grammar/spelling nerd. Oops did I just say that out loud? :P Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Ranger Turien: Mwuahaha! Why, you ask? Because I am EEVVIIILLLL! Nah, not really. For some insane reason I just enjoy it. :P Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_**Anna: Haha thanks :D For some weird reason I love seeing you guys' reactions to my evil cliffies. :P Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

_** : Yeah, I get that a lot. :P Yeah, I just became a fan of LoTR for a year and a month. Yup, I'm that nerdy I keep track how long I've loved something. :P I've been an RA fan for almost a year now. :D I can't wait for you to read the other two LoTR books so we can talk about them. They're so amazing! :) I'm glad you like the book/movie mixing. I was afraid it would be confusing or wouldn't work. But thankfully it seems like it was fairly successful! :) I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D Btw I like your penname. :)**_

_**Guest: Glad you liked it! Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**_

**If you reviewed and there wasn't a reply for you here, I'm super sorry. I typed this up a while ago, but the stupid Doc Manger wasn't working, so...yeah.**

_**Arrow :D**_


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Lord of the Rings or Ranger's Apprentice; all rights to J.R.R. Tolkien and John Flanagan!**

Halt glared at the older ranger, his dark eyes burning with anger. Strider turned to face Halt, finally tearing his eyes away from the quickly disappearing horse and rider.

"What do you think you're doing?" Halt snapped.

"Saving your apprentice's life," Strider replied coolly.

"By sending him off with some strange woman who looks like she should be mending clothes instead of riding horses?" Halt's voice held an unusual heat that he hadn't gotten the chance to use since his childhood. He remembered using very much the same tone with Ferris—pure anger. But he knew that that wasn't all. Brooding deep down in his heart was a deep, dark hatred that begun to grow there ever since he laid eyes on this man. For some unknown reason, Halt knew he would be at odds with this man as long as the two Araluens were here.

"She is not just some woman," Strider said acidly, his voice deadly quiet. "I trust her with my life, and I suggest you do the same if your apprentice is going to live."

Halt narrowed his eyes.

Strider didn't blink.

Finally, the two broke their staring competition and seemed to remember the hobbits.

"What about them?" Halt asked.

"They come with us." It seemed like Strider had completely forgotten about their argument. He laid a hand on the hilt of his sword and stepped forward, motioning for the halflings to follow him.

Halt watched Strider angrily for a few seconds before trudging after him. You bring Will back to me alive, he thought, and I might just change my mind about hating you.

~*~

Arwen's heart was pounding. Her job: to take this young man back to Imladris and stay well ahead of the Nazgul behind her, all the while making sure to get there before Will turned into a wraith. Her thoughts on this job: well, let's just say she wasn't very optimistic about it. The only thing that kept her going was her compassion for the apprentice in front of her and the rush of adrenaline flooding through her veins, screaming at her to stay alive.

Asfaloth's hooves pounded underneath her, echoed by six other sets behind her. She felt a sudden presence beside her and ducked, pulling the young man in front of her down with her. A wicked-looking blade swept through the air above her and severed a few strands of hair from her head. The Nazgul shrieked angrily. Lord Glorfindel's horse charged through the woods, leaping a fallen log and landing in a hammering gallop on the other side. Arwen spoke a few words of elvish to the beast, encouraging it to run faster.

Imladris was within sight. All she had to do was get across the Bruínen and they would be safe.

Asfaloth splashed into the water and crossed to the opposite shore. The Nazgul screeched in outrage, but didn't enter the water.

"Give up the halfling," one of them snarled.

"If you want him, come and claim him," Arwen said menacingly. She held her sword aloft, hoping the undead monsters wouldn't decide to attack.

Asfaloth shifted nervously. Will stirred, lifting his head up to see the Nazgul. He really wished he had his bow with him right now, then he would be able to protect himself and the kind lady helping him. He thought of it lying all alone on Weathertop and the absence of its weight on his back made him feel lonely. He remembered what Halt had told him, and suddenly he knew what he had to do.

Though Arwen was holding him tight, he quickly shirked himself out of her grasp and slipped from the horse. She called his name and grabbed for him frantically, but her voice sounded far away. The pain in his shoulder was constant, dulling the world and turning everything to grey. He had to stay awake. Death was not an option right now.

He thought of his home. Of Redmont. He thought of the brilliant red castle in the sunset and Lady Pauline and Alyss. He thought of his best friend Horace. He could almost feel Tug headbutting him with his nose, hear Jenny giggling at a joke.

He took a slow step forward. The Nazgul watched in anticipation and…was that curiosity?

He felt around for his pocket, then reached inside. He glanced down at the object that Halt had slipped him just before Arwen had spirited him away. Was this too dangerous? Would it even work?

He was ankle deep in the water now, walking slowly towards the Nazgul. It felt like his very soul was being pulled towards them, and he wanted to run, but he restrained himself. He couldn't give in. Not yet.

He heard Arwen coming after him, but snapped at her to stay back. His voice sounded alien—like it wasn't his own.

He didn't know why the Nazgul were after him when he didn't even have the Ring. Maybe it was because he was turning into one of them. Slowly, slowly fading.

He stumbled over a rock, and pain shot through his arm. He ignored it and kept going, now halfway through the river. The water was hardly deep, like someone had cast a spell on it to make it slow for him.

He held the shiny gold band in his palm, wondering what Halt would be doing with a wedding ring. It didn't matter, anyway. The original plan had been to throw the fake ring in the water, hope the Nazgul were momentarily distracted, and get away. Unfortunately, Will couldn't seem to control himself anymore.

He felt his eyelids droop closed, and the ring fell from his fingertips. It splashed into the river, and all was silent. The Nazgul didn't seem terribly concerned that the ring had just fallen into the water. They didn't even acknowledge it. That's when Will knew his mentor's plan had failed. The Nazgul hadn't fallen for it, and he wasn't sure why. It looked enough like the One Ring.

Then it hit him. Of course. The Nazgul were drawn to the One Ring. They would be able to tell the difference if he had a fake one.

But it was too late. Will's eyes rolled up in his head and he crashed backwards into the water.

** I am so ashamed, guys. I have no excuse except I was suffering from SEVERE writer's block for this story. I honestly had no idea what Halt's grand idea had been, so it turned out his grand idea wasn't so grand after all. Yeah…this chapter sucked. Sorry guys. I should be updating a little faster now that I'm a bit unstuck.**

_**Arrow :D**_


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